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Prodeco Outlaw Review – A Top Range Electric Bicycle

Power Through with a Little Boost

The Prodeco Outlaw EX is one of the highest quality, most rugged electric bicycles on the market. Whereas most electric assist bikes are built on a comfort bike frame with an entry-level suspension fork, this bad boy is built on a serious mountain bike frame. Most electric bikes will feature regular, direct-pull or cantilever rim brakes. Some offer options with cable-actuated disc brakes.

The Outlaw comes stock with Avid Elixir 5 hydraulic disc brakes. These are some of the smoothest, most effective brakes on the market for mountain bikes, and they require very little maintenance.

In addition to the brakes, the shifter and derailleur are also very high quality SRAM X0/X9, and Prodeco has outfitted this frame with a suspension fork that can really take a beating. This is the only electric bike that we’ve seen that you can really take mountain biking. While others may work well enough on manicured paths or riding through a grassy field, the Outlaw is built for actual mountain biking.

It’s a bit on the heavy side for mountain bikes, but it’s really not that much heavier than some downhill mountain bikes. If you use the power assist sparingly, you can get in and out of some seriously sticky situations off road. Steep, sharp ascents are no match for a well-applied throttle.

The Outlaw boasts a twenty-five to thirty mile distance between battery charges. If you use your throttle a lot, you’ll find that you get less distance, and you could get stuck out in the woods or on the road without any assistance left. Fortunately, even if that happens, you still have legs, and the bike still has pedals. You can always get home under your own power.

So what else did you like about the Outlaw? We always love it when a commuter or mountain bike comes with a cargo rack. This will serve you well whether you’re using the Outlaw for getting to and from work, picking up groceries, or epic mountain bike camping adventures. We were a bit apprehensive about the Gyes leather saddle, as it is a clear copycat of a Brooks saddle, and we all know how long it takes to break one of those in.

They’re perfect once you get them there, but until then? Ouch! The Gyes saddle, on the other hand, proved to be a pleasant surprise. It was pliable and compliant from the first ride. We had no complaints from our sit-bones.

The Outlaw is an overall rugged, ready-to-go bike. We had a ball riding it all over the place, on and off road, though we felt it definitely did better in the dirt than on pavement. This is no insult to the good people at Prodeco or their bike. It’s just that there are compromises that every bike designer makes, and a good mountain bike will always suffer a bit on the road.

If you’re planning on commuting a lot on the Outlaw, we recommend investing in a pair of slick tires. They’ll last longer on pavement and won’t slow you down. Save the knobby tires for the days you go out and play in the mud. Whatever you do, though, get out there and have a good ride!